The Supreme Court has dismissed petitions by Vodafone Idea Limited (Vi) and Bharti Airtel, seeking waivers on adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues related to interest, penalty, and interest on penalty. The court termed the pleas “misconceived,” effectively denying hopes for further financial relief in the long-standing AGR case.
The apex court’s decision upholds the full dues liability of the telcos under its previous AGR judgment. While Airtel and Bharti Hexacom owe a principal AGR amount of Rs 92.35 billion, the total liability including interest (Rs 218.5 billion), penalty (Rs 39.95 billion), and interest on penalty (Rs 89 billion) is substantially higher. Meanwhile Vi, in its petition, cited dues comprising Rs 127.97 billion in principal, Rs 282.94 billion in interest, Rs 60.12 billion in penalty, and Rs 111.51 billion in interest on penalty.
In the past, Tata Teleservices, which exited the consumer mobility business by selling it to Airtel, also saw its petition rejected.
In addition, while the Supreme Court has ruled out judicial relief, the government still retains the legal authority to extend policy-based support to the telcos. The court acknowledged the government’s past efforts, including converting a portion of Vi’s dues into equity, but ruled that any further concessions must come through administrative or legislative means, not judicial intervention.
